On an As-Yet-Unnamed Planet in the Constellation Saramiyah
by AmeliaPonders
Summary: Rose and Tentoo relax on their first interplanetary trip on the new TARDIS. Tentoo does a lot of gushy introspection.


They've been sitting in this meadow for about an hour and he finally voices his amazement at the situation. "It _worked_," he breathes, surprised to find that a little part of him had doubted he could really pull this off. After all, last time, he'd just stolen the thing. He'd never actually built a TARDIS before now. And it worked.

"Of course it worked," Rose says, like it was nothing, like it was as obvious as breathing or walking or loving her. It's her nonchalance that gets him – her utter faith in his ability to take a tiny piece of coral and turn it into all of time and space. He squeezes her hand a little tighter, but doesn't look at her, because he's still a Time Lord (mostly) and he will not turn into a weepy puddle every time Rose Tyler says or does something that makes him feel loved.

Rose runs the fingers of her other hand through the purple grass. The brighter of the two suns in the sky has almost set, the angle and colors of it lighting up her hair to make it look like the gold has been streaked with red. It's a little bit haunting – reminding him that this place is truly alien to the world he shares with her now – but it's also so, so beautiful. "Where are we, again?" she asks as she leans her head on his shoulder.

"We, my love, are on an as-yet-unnamed planet in the constellation Saramiyah. It's somewhere around the year 38462 on Earth, but that's really not an accurate way of measuring it."

"Wibbly wobbly timey wimey, right?" She says with a smile.

"Exactly."

A few minutes later, the lower sun disappears below the distant purple hills and the second is well on its way. "Why does one set faster than the other?" Rose asks quietly. He can hear how relaxed she is and he smiles, grateful that she is content with him. It took a little convincing for him to believe it at the beginning. He'd see her get such a rush on Torchwood missions and wondered if that was what she'd been chasing, if that was what she'd fallen in love with all those years ago: the thrill of the universe and its infinite, adrenaline-spiking dangers and not some daft man who used to have two broken hearts and now had one that he hoped she wouldn't break. She didn't. Instead, at every turn, she surprised him with how much she loved him. She loved the real Doctor, an imperfect man with dark secrets, and not just the _idea_ of the Doctor, a universal traveler who could take her places and show her things. It was never just about the mad man with a box. He trusted that now.

Remembering that Rose just asked him a question, he launches into an explanation of planetary rotation and gravitational anomalies. She listens to the soothing tone of his voice more than the actual words as they watch the second sun slip away. For a moment, they just stay in the silence, taking it all in and seeing only each other at the same time. Something profound is happening. They both feel it, and are completely awed.

She turns on her side and curls into him in a way that tells him she's starting to catch a chill. "We should head back to the TARDIS," he whispers, not wanting to break the serenity of the moment by speaking at a normal volume. She nods a little sadly and looks out on the horizon again as they get up to head the 20 or so yards back to their ship. After a few steps, she stops them suddenly. "Doctor, wait a second."

"What is it?" He is waiting for something to ruin this perfect evening they've had. Instead, he gets her smile.

"We should name it," she states happily. "This planet," she clarifies at his confused look. "You said it didn't have a name, yeah? It's our first off-world trip in the new TARDIS and we should commemorate it by naming the planet she took us to."

"Brilliant," he says with a smile, and now she's properly excited, hopping from foot to foot and looking out on the scenic vista like a child looking at a shelf full of toys at a shop.

"Got any ideas?"

She's still smiling at him. Her eyes are sparkling. She's backlit by the light of six little moons. A breeze dances through her hair to the white leaves of a nearby willowy tree. The Doctor takes it all in and only one word comes to mind, one word that sums up everything he wants with Rose Tyler. He turns to her and grabs both her hands in his. He's unable to keep the tears from his eyes this time as he meets her gaze and murmurs, "Forever."

She nods quietly as her own tears fall and they both know that the name is perfect.

Twenty minutes later, as they each hold an end of a battered piece of fabric, he whispers another name into her ear. And just like that, their planet's name goes from meaning something wished for to commemorating a wish fulfilled.


End file.
